A Dog Lost and Alone Somewhere in France

We looked after a small dog called Scraggy for six months until his pet passport was in order and he could be reunited with his owners who had returned to England to live. Looking after Scraggy for the six months is the subject of a previous Hubpage called 'How do you introduce a new dog into the home?'

This is the second part of Scraggy’s story, and it takes place after he left us to go to England. We had Scraggy living with us for six months and if you have ever looked after someone else’s pet you will know what a huge responsibility this is. All of us in the house are dog lovers and although we loved having Scraggy with us for six months it was with great relief that nothing happened to him while he was in our care. Scraggy’s owner Travis is a tough man who is afraid of nothing but when it comes to his dog he is like us a real softy.

This is Scraggy with Sue as you can see he is a real little cutie but like all small dogs he would yap at the smallest excuse. He would bark at anything and anyone, and when he started barking our Zac who is normally a very quiet dog would then join in, which in turn set off Rocky who is next doors Alsatian. It was like watching a chain reaction or should I say hearing a chain reaction going off. Once these three started it would set the five dogs off in the big house about three hundred yards away which in turn set the three dogs in the nearby finca off which set the two dogs off just down the valley which set the three dogs off across the valley which set off the dogs on the outskirts of the village which in turn set off the dogs in the village and no doubt this spread through the village out the other side and started the dogs off on the other side of the village.

Once it was set in motion there was no way to stop this chain reaction the barking would have to die down in its own time which normally took about five minutes. This was not too bad during the day but Steve often let Scraggy and Zac out last thing at night which could be as late as four in the morning and if it was nice and quite which it always is then Scraggy would often just start things rolling and as the barks ricochet down the valley echoing from the mountains on three sides he would trot back to the house feeling pleased with himself it was mission accomplished. As much as I loved little Scraggy I was really pleased to see the back of all the noise that he generated. It was amazing the amount of noise such a little dog makes and causes others to make.

Travis made arrangements to have Scraggy returned to the UK via a pet carrierand everything went according to plan. The carrier arrived at the house in a van with a trailer on they picked up Scraggy along with his toys leads and halter and other bits and they placed him in the van. Malcolm warned the man that he had to be extra careful with Scraggy as given the slightest of opportunities he would do a runner and so not to let him out anywhere unless he had his lead on.

Malcolm gave all the documentation we had for Scraggy which just left one more shot for the dog to have but it must be given no more than twenty four hours before he arrives in England. The drive from Orcheta where we live to where the ferry departs from is more than a twenty four hour drive especially if you have pets on board they have to stop to let the dogs out to exercise and for them to be fed and watered. Arrangements had been made for Scraggy to visit the vet in a village in France not far from the ferry port so that his last shot could be given before he boarded the ferry to England.

They set off in the van from our house at about nine thirty on the Wednesday night and they were going to drive from Spain and through France to the port of departure in Calais. The van left us with Scraggy safely loaded into the van along with a load of other dogs who were also returning to the UK. On the Saturday we were sat chatting about how Scraggy must be back home by now and when the phone rang we thought that it was Travis ringing to tell us that Scraggy had arrived safely. However the phone call was not from Travis but from the carrier to say that Scraggy had got free and ran away somewhere in France.

The carrier had rung to say that Scraggy had got free and ran away somewhere in France. Needless to say Travis was beside himself with worry and we were all devastated that Scraggy was lost somewhere in France. After getting the news Travis loaded up his car straightaway to drive to France to help search for the missing Scraggy. We couldn’t believe so called professionals could lose a dog given into their care, the poor little thing lost and alone in a foreign country where there was nowhere familiar and nobody familiar. The carrier went on local radio appealing for anyone who had seen Scraggy to get in touch and also he printed a load of posters with details in the local area around where Scraggy had gone missing.

The carrier had to leave the village with Scraggy still lost and alone somewhere in the French countryside. It was necessary for the carrier to leave because he had a van full of pets returning to the UK all with time sensitive injections and it was vital that he got them all onboard before that time limit expired.

Scraggy had run off when the carrier had stopped off at the Village so that Scraggy could have his last shots before boarding the ferry, using the vet in this village that regularly does these sorts of last minute things for them. One shot has to be given at least twelve hours before going on the ferry and not more than twenty four hours before so it is quiet a small window in which he is to receive his shot.

The Village is really more of a hamlet and Scraggy had bolted off into the countryside and was lost from view very quickly. He was eventually found about twenty kilometers from where he went missing he was cold and wet sheltering under some bushes in a wooded area. An old lady who is one of the neighbours of the carrier’s local representatives in the small French village where Scraggy had gone missing saw Scraggy and recognized him from the posters.

We had emailed the Carrier some photos after Scraggy had gone missing also the Carrier had the photos that we had sent with Scraggy for Travis. Apart from being very tired, hungry, cold and wet and suffering from badly bruised feet and small cuts Scraggy was fine.

Travis arrived at the village and picked up Scraggy and he took Scraggy back home not daring to trust the little dog that he thought he had lost forever into anyone’s care other than his own.

When they arrived safely back in England we had a phone call from Travis and Kerry to say that Scraggy had at last arrive home and was happily playing as though nothing had happened. Scraggy may be small but he is also very resilient.